View source for Albacore

{{Short description|Species of tuna}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Albacore
| image = Thunnus alalunga 2.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Collette, B.B. |author2=Boustany, A. |author3=Fox, W. |author4=Graves, J. |author5=Juan Jorda, M. |author6=Restrepo, V. |date=2021 |title=''Thunnus alalunga'' |volume=2021 |page=e.T21856A46911332 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T21856A46911332.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| parent = Thunnus (Thunnus)
| taxon = Thunnus alalunga
| authority = ([[Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre|Bonnaterre]], 1788)
| synonyms = *''Scomber alalunga'' <small>Bonnaterre, 1788</small> 
*''Germo alalunga'' <small>(Bonnaterre, 1788)</small> 
*''Thynnus alalunga'' <small>(Bonnaterre, 1788)</small>
*''Scomber alalunga'' <small>[[Francesco Cetti|Cetti]], 1777</small> 
*''Thunnus alalunga'' <small>(Cetti, 1777)</small> 
*''Scomber alatunga'' <small>[[Johann Friedrich Gmelin|Gmelin]], 1789</small> 
*''Orcynus alatunga'' <small>(Gmelin, 1789)</small> 
*''Scomber albicans'' <small>[[Johann Julius Walbaum|Walbaum]], 1792</small> 
*''Scomber germon'' <small>[[Bernard Germain de Lacépède|Lacepède]], 1800</small> 
*''Germo germon'' <small>(Lacepède, 1800)</small> 
*''Orcynus germon'' <small>(Lacepède, 1800)</small>  
*''Orcynus germo'' <small>(Lacepède, 1800)</small>  
*''Scomber germo'' <small>Lacepède, 1801</small> 
*''Germo germo'' <small>(Lacepède, 1800)</small>  
*''Thunnus germo'' <small>(Lacepède, 1800)</small>  
*''Thynnus pacificus'' <small>[[Georges Cuvier|Cuvier]], 1832</small> 
*''Thunnus pacificus'' <small>(Cuvier, 1832)</small> 
*''Scomber germo'' <small>[[Frederick Debell Bennett|Bennett]], 1840</small> 
*''Orcynus pacificus'' <small>[[James Graham Cooper|Cooper]], 1863</small>   
| synonyms_ref = <ref name=itis>{{ITIS |taxon=''Thunnus alalunga'' |id=172419 |access-date=9 December 2012}}</ref><ref name = iucn_old>{{cite iucn | author1 = Collette, B. | author2 = Acero, A. | author3 = Amorim, A.F. | author4 = Boustany, A. | author5 = Canales Ramirez, C. | author6 = Cardenas, G. | author7 = Carpenter, K.E. | author8 = Chang, S.-K. | author9 = de Oliveira Leite Jr., N. | author10 = Di Natale, A. | author11 = Die, D. | author12 = Fox, W. | author13 = Fredou, F.L. | author14 = Graves, J. | author15 = Guzman-Mora, A. | author16 = Viera Hazin, F.H. | author17 = Hinton, M. | author18 = Juan Jorda, M. | author19 = Minte Vera, C. | author20 = Miyabe, N. | author21 = Montano Cruz, R. | author22 = Masuti, E. | author23 = Nelson, R. | author24 = Oxenford, H. | author25 = Restrepo, V. | author26 = Salas, E. | author27 = Schaefer, K. | author28 = Schratwieser, J. | author29 = Serra, R. | author30 = Sun, C. | author31 = Teixeira Lessa, R.P. | author32 = Pires Ferreira Travassos, P.E. | author33 = Uozumi, Y.  | author34 = Yanez, E. | display-authors = 3 | year = 2011 | title = ''Thunnus alalunga'' | volume = 2011 | page = e.T21856A9325450 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T21856A9325450.en }}</ref><ref name=fishbase/>
}}

The '''albacore''' ('''''Thunnus alalunga'''''), known also as the '''longfin tuna''', is a species of [[tuna]] of the order [[Scombriformes]]. It is found in [[temperate]] and [[tropical]] waters across the globe in the [[epipelagic]] and [[mesopelagic]] zones. There are six distinct stocks known globally in the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]], [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]], and [[Indian Ocean|Indian]] oceans, as well as the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. The albacore has an elongate, [[wikt:fusiform|fusiform]] body with a conical snout, large eyes, and remarkably long [[pectoral fins]]. Its body is a deep blue [[dorsally]] and shades of silvery white [[ventral]]ly. Individuals can reach up to {{convert|1.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} in length.

Albacore are [[pelagic]] predators that eat a wide variety of foods, including but not limited to [[fish]], [[crustacean]]s, and [[cephalopod]]s. They are unique among tuna in that their primary food source is cephalopods, with fish making up a much smaller portion of their diet. Reproduction usually occurs from November to February and is [[oviparous]]. An adult female can release over two million eggs in a single cycle. Fry (juvenile fish) generally stay near where they were spawned for about a year before moving on. Albacore form schools based on their stage in the life cycle, but also combine with other tuna like the [[skipjack tuna]], [[yellowfin tuna]], and [[bluefin tuna]]. Once grown, schools are highly migratory.

The albacore is a very economically important fish and is a target of [[Commercial fishing|commercial]] and [[Recreational fishing|recreational]] fisheries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fisheries |first=NOAA |date=2025-04-03 |title=Pacific Albacore Tuna {{!}} NOAA Fisheries |url=https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/pacific-albacore-tuna |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=NOAA |language=en}}</ref> It was originally the basis for the United States tuna-canning industry and is no less important today, making up significant percentages of the [[gross domestic product]]s of various Pacific nations. It was listed as [[Near Threatened]] by the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] (IUCN) because of the threat of overfishing but is now [[Least Concern]] again.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iucn.org/news/species/202109/tuna-species-recovering-despite-growing-pressures-marine-life-iucn-red-list|title = Tuna species recovering despite growing pressures on marine life - IUCN Red List|date = 4 September 2021}}</ref> Several stocks were in significant decline but are now recovering thanks to the enforcement of regional fishing quotas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fisheries |first=NOAA |date=2024-09-19 |title=Adjustments to the 2024 North Atlantic Albacore Tuna, North and South Atlantic Swordfish, and Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Reserve Category Quotas {{!}} NOAA Fisheries |url=https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/adjustments-2024-north-atlantic-albacore-tuna-north-and-south-atlantic-swordfish-and |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=NOAA |language=en}}</ref>

==Taxonomy and phylogeny==
{{cladogram|title=|align=left|caption=Phylogenetic tree of genus ''Thunnus'' with yellowfin group in green.<ref name=Graham2004>{{cite journal | last = Graham | first = Jeffrey B. | author2 = Dickson, Kathryn A. | title = Tuna Comparative Physiology | journal = The Journal of Experimental Biology | year = 2004 | volume = 207 | issue = 23 | pages = 4015–4024 | doi=10.1242/jeb.01267 | pmid = 15498947 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2004JExpB.207.4015G }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last = Catanese | first = Gaetano | author2 = Manchado, Manuel | author3 = Infante, Carlos | title = Evolutionary relatedness of mackerels of the genus Scomber based on complete mitochondrial genomes: Strong support to the recognition of Atlantic Scomber colias and Pacific Scomber japonicus as distinct species | journal = Gene | date = 15 February 2010 | volume = 452 | issue = 1 | pages = 35–43 | doi = 10.1016/j.gene.2009.12.004| pmid = 20035845 }}</ref>
|clades={{clade|style=font-size:80%;line-height:80%
|1={{clade
 |1={{clade
  |1={{clade
   |1={{clade
    |1={{clade
     |1={{clade
      |1={{green|''T. atlanticus''}}
      |2={{green|''T. albacares''}}
     }}
     |2={{green|''T. tonggol''}}
    }}
    |2=''[[Bigeye tuna|T. obesus]]''
   }}
   |2=''[[Southern bluefin tuna|T. maccoyii]]''
  }}
  |2=''[[Atlantic bluefin tuna|T. thynnus]]''
 }}
|2={{clade
 |1='''''T. alalunga'''''
 |2=''[[Pacific bluefin tuna|T. orientalis]]''
 }}
}}
}}
}}

The first [[scientific description]] of the albacore was authored in 1788 by Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre in the illustrated encyclopedia ''Tableau encyclopédique et methodique des trois règnes de la nature''. He originally placed it in the [[mackerel]] [[genus]] ''[[Scomber]]''. It was assigned to the genus ''Thunnus'' by ichthyologists Bruce B. Collette and Cornelia E. Nauen in 1983.<ref name=fishbase>{{FishBase | genus = Thunnus | species = alalunga | month = January | year = 2017}}</ref> It is a member of the ''[[Thunnus (subgenus)|Thunnus]]'' subgenus, also known as the bluefin group. Populations of albacore differ genetically by region, with Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean groups each showing differences in [[Mitochondrial DNA|mitochondrial]] and [[DNA|nuclear DNA]].<ref name=vinas>{{cite journal |last=Vinas |first=J. |author2=J. R. Alvarado Bremer |author3=C. Pla |title=Inter-oceanic genetic differentiation among albacore (''Thunnus alalunga'') populations |journal=Marine Biology |year=2004 |volume=145 |issue=2 | pages = 225–232 |doi=10.1007/s00227-004-1319-5|bibcode=2004MarBi.145..225V |s2cid=83913573 }}</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Histoire naturelle des poissons (10438834583).jpg|thumb|The albacore's pectoral fins can be longer than 30% of the fish's total length.<ref name=fishbase/>]]
The albacore has a streamlined, fusiform body with a conical snout, large mouth, and big eyes. Its body is dark blue dorsally, shades of silvery white ventrally, and covered by small scales.<ref name=fao/> The [[pectoral fins]] begin slightly before the first [[dorsal fin]] and extend well beyond the front of the [[anal fin]], usually as far as the second dorsal finlet, often as long as 30% of the fish's total length. Like the fish's body, the fins are dark blue on top, but change to a medium yellow color on the underside. They are markedly shorter in fish under {{convert|0.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} in length, often resulting in confusion with ''[[Thunnus obesus|T. obesus]]'' juveniles, which also have long pectoral fins, though these are rounded at the tips where the albacore's taper to a point.<ref name=fishbase/> The first dorsal fin is a deep yellow and the second, which is smaller than the first, is a light yellow, as is the anal fin. It has 7–9 dorsal finlets and 7–8 anal finlets, dark blue and silvery white in color respectively, matching the part of the fish's body they are on. The [[caudal fin]] is also silvery white.<ref name=wash>{{cite web |url=http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/tuna/ |title=Fishing & Shellfishing: Albacore Tuna |website=Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife |access-date=2013-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224222151/http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/tuna/ |archive-date=2017-12-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=fao>{{cite book |last=Collette |first=Bruce B. |author2=Cornelia E. Nauen |title=Scombrids of the World: An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Tunas, Mackerels, Bonitos, and Related Species Known to Date |year=1983 |pages=80–81 |publisher=Food and Africulture Organization of the United Nations |isbn=978-92-5-101381-6 |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/ac478e/ac478e00.htm}}</ref> At {{convert|1.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} maximum length, the albacore is the smallest of the [[Thunnus (subgenus)|bluefin tuna]]. It reaches sexual maturity at {{convert|0.9|m|ftin|abbr=on}} and its common length is only slightly larger at {{convert|1.0|m|ftin|abbr=on}}.<ref name=fishbase/> Males and females exhibit no [[sexual dimorphism]].<ref name=ramon/>

==Distribution and habitat==
The albacore has a [[cosmopolitan distribution]] in tropical and temperate waters across the globe and in every ocean as well as the Mediterranean Sea.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thunnus alalunga summary page |url=https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Thunnus-alalunga |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=FishBase |language=en}}</ref>

Its latitudinal range extends from [[59th parallel north|59°N]] to [[46th parallel south|46°S]]. Its temperature range is {{convert|10|-|25|C|F}}.<ref name=fishbase/> Its depth range is {{convert|0|-|600|m|ft fathom|abbr=on}} in the epipelagic and mesopelagic zones. It is most often found in surface waters {{convert|15.6|-|19.4|C|F}} in temperature, though larger individuals can be found in deeper waters {{convert|13.5|-|25.2|C|F}}. It can survive at temperatures as low as {{convert|9.5|C|F}} for short periods of time. It favors areas where warm and cool water mix.<ref name=fishbase/>

==Migration==
A highly migratory species, schools of albacore travel great distances, though Atlantic and Pacific populations do not appear to mix.<ref name=fao/> North Pacific albacore migrate to two regions of the Northeast Pacific: one off the northern part of [[Baja California]], Mexico, and the other off the coasts of [[Washington (state)|Washington]] and [[Oregon]].<ref name=childers/> Every summer, North Atlantic albacore head to the [[Bay of Biscay]] off of [[France]] and [[Spain]], but now arrive about 8 days earlier than they did 40 years ago.<ref name=dufour>{{cite journal|last=Dufour|first=Florence|author2=Haritz Arrizabalaga |author3=Xabier Irigoien |author4=Josu Santiago|title=Climate impacts on albacore and bluefin tunas migrations phenology and spatial distribution.|journal=Progress in Oceanography|date=July 2010|volume=86|issue=1/2|pages=283–290|doi=10.1016/j.pocean.2010.04.007|bibcode=2010PrOce..86..283D}}</ref>

Since the 1970s the [[NOAA]] Fisheries, Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) has collaborated with [[American Fishermen's Research Foundation]] (AFRF) in tagging studies of albacore in the North Pacific. Through these studies we have learned that juvenile albacore (to 2 years of age) make trans-Pacific migrations in their younger years between Japan and the West coast of North America. To date over 24,000 albacore have been tagged with conventional dart tags and 1,245 of these have been recovered. In Spring of 2001 AFRF and the SWFSC began a pilot project to learn more about the migration habits of North Pacific albacore, ''Thunnus alalunga'' in an effort to allow the incorporation of detailed migration movements into stock assessment models. Archival tags are a recent technical innovation that are being used to collect daily locations (through light level data recorded by the tag), internal temperature of the fish's abdomen, ambient water temperature, and depth.<ref>{{cite web|author=Southwest Fisheries Science Center|title=Albacore Archival Tagging|url=https://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx?Division=FRD&id=1194|website=swfsc.noaa.gov|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Atministration|access-date=March 15, 2015}}</ref> Genetic research using [[Restriction site associated DNA markers|ddRAD]] sequencing indicates that albacore migrate between the North and South Pacific oceans across the equator.<ref name="Vaux-2021">{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/eva.13202 |title=Adaptive markers distinguish North and South Pacific Albacore amid low population differentiation |journal=Evolutionary Applications |volume=14 |issue=5 |pages=1343–1364 |year=2021 |last1=Vaux|first1=Felix |last2=Bohn|first2=Sandra |last3=Hyde|first3=John R. |last4=O'Malley |first4=Kathleen G. |pmid=34025772 |pmc=8127716 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2021EvApp..14.1343V }}</ref>

==Biology and ecology==
[[File:Hooked albacore tuna.jpg|thumb|Freshly hooked albacore tuna]]
The albacore is a powerful, hard-hitting predator<ref name=fishbase/> that forms mixed schools with [[skipjack tuna]], [[yellowfin tuna]], and [[bluefin tuna]], sometimes around floating objects like [[sargassum]] weeds.<ref name=iucn_old/><ref name=fao/> Schools of albacore are highly migratory within bodies of water and segregated by maturity, with older fish tending to form more compact groups. Of those caught by humans, immature albacore have a 1:1 sex ratio while older albacore are mostly male. In the Atlantic Ocean, older fish are found in cooler waters. The opposite is true for the Pacific Ocean, where fish are found more abundantly along thermal discontinuities. Depth range also varies by location: Atlantic fish dive as deep as {{convert|600|m|ft|abbr=on}} where Pacific fish reach only {{convert|380|m|ft|abbr=on}} in depth.<ref name=fao/> In the northeast Atlantic, feeding migrations to productive areas occur during the summer. Due to climate changes over the last 40 years, the timing and spatial distribution of the albacore have also changed.<ref name=dufour/>

Albacore show a broad range of behavioral differences by region. In [[Baja California]], albacore make frequent dives to depths exceeding {{convert|200|m|abbr=on}} during the day and stay near the surface at night, while off the coast of Washington and Oregon they stay near the surface the entire day.<ref name=childers>{{cite journal |last=Childers |first=John |author2=Stephanie Snyder |author3=Suzanne Kohin |title=Migration and behavior of juvenile North Pacific albacore (''Thunnus alalunga'') |journal=Fisheries Oceanography |date=1 January 2011 |volume=2 |issue=3 |pages=157–173 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2419.2011.00575.x |bibcode=2011FisOc..20..157C |url=http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1251&context=usdeptcommercepub |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Albacore never really rest; their need for oxygen means they must always be on the move.<ref name=dufour/>

===Feeding===
Albacore tuna are pelagic (open-sea) predators. Their diets vary little from season to season. Unlike other tuna that eat primarily fish, for example the [[bigeye tuna|bigeye]] and yellowfin tuna, the albacore's main source of food is [[cephalopod]]s. The most abundant cephalopod in its diet is ''[[Heteroteuthis dispar]]'', a tiny deep-water squid found in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Another cephalopod species preyed upon is ''[[Berryteuthis anonychus]]''.<ref name="Thunnus alalunga Ahi pahala">{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Thunnus_alalunga/ | title=Thunnus alalunga (Ahi pahala) | website=[[Animal Diversity Web]] }}</ref> Other food sources of the albacore include fish (including ''[[Pacific saury|Cololabis saira]]'', ''[[Japanese anchovy|Engraulis japonicus]]'', and ''[[Californian anchovy|Engraulis mordax]]''), crustaceans, and gelatinous organisms.<ref name=bertrand/><ref name="Thunnus alalunga Ahi pahala"/> Not much is known about the food pattern of the albacore, however, mostly because it dives over {{convert|400|m|ft|abbr=on}} underwater when searching for food, and tagging and tracking has been unsuccessful thus far.<ref name=bertrand>{{cite journal |last=Bertrand |first=A. |author2=Bard, F. |author3=Josse, E. |title=Tuna food habits related to the micronekton distribution in French Polynesia |journal=Marine Biology |volume=140 |issue=5 |pages=1023–1037 |doi=10.1007/s00227-001-0776-3 |date=1 May 2002 |bibcode=2002MarBi.140.1023A |s2cid=84191172 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Consoli |first=P.|author2=Romeo, T. |author3=Battaglia, P. |author4=Castriota, L. |author5=Esposito, V. |author6=Andaloro, F.|title=Feeding habits of the albacore tuna Thunnus alalunga (Perciformes, Scombridae) from central Mediterranean Sea |journal=Marine Biology |volume=155 |issue=1 |pages=113–120 |doi=10.1007/s00227-008-1012-1 |date=1 July 2008 |bibcode=2008MarBi.155..113C |s2cid=85625507}}</ref>

===Life history===
The albacore's reproduction is [[oviparous]] and a {{convert|20|kg|lb|abbr=on}} female can produce between 2–3 million eggs per spawning,<ref name=fao/> which usually takes place between November and February.<ref name=ramon>{{cite journal |last1=Ramon |first1=Darlene |last2=Bailey |first2=Kevin |title=Spawning seasonality of albacore, ''Thunnus alalunga'', in the South Pacific Ocean |journal=Fishery Bulletin |volume=94 |issue=4 |pages=725–733 |date=4 October 1996 |url=https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-content/1996/944/ramon.pdf }}</ref> Eggs mature outside of the female's body and hatch in 1–2 days, after which [[fry (biology)|fry]] begin to grow quickly. For the first year of their lives, juveniles remain close to the place where they were hatched. They begin to migrate after their first year. Albacore have a lifespan of 11–12 years, but they reach reproductive maturity at around 5–6 years.<ref name=thisfish>[http://thisfish.info/fishery/species/albacore-tuna/ "Albacore Tuna"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929125728/http://thisfish.info/fishery/species/albacore-tuna/ |date=2013-09-29 }} This fish. ThisFish & Ecotrust Canada 25 Oct 2013.</ref>

A large majority of albacore have larger right testes or ovaries, depending on sex. Albacore have asynchronous [[oocyte]] development, that is their immature egg cells do not develop at regular intervals. The creation of [[Ovum|ova]], known as [[oogenesis]], begins with the rapid production of [[oogonia]] (undifferentiated germ cells that give rise to oocytes) by mitotic separations in the oogonial nests of female tuna. The resulting oocytes are cast ''en masse'' into the sea, where full development and later fertilization take place.<ref>{{cite book |doi=10.1016/s1546-5098(01)19007-2 |chapter=Reproductive biology of tunas |title=Tuna: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution |series=Fish Physiology |year=2001 |last1=Schaefer |first1=Kurt M. |volume=19 |pages=225–270 |isbn=978-0-12-350443-2 }}</ref>

==Human interaction==
===Commercial fishery===
[[File:Thunnus alalunga Cyprus.jpg|thumb|Albacore caught off Cyprus]]
[[File:Appendix to the Journals of the Senate and Assembly of the session of the Legislature of the State of California (1915) (14594862967).jpg|thumb|Albacore being canned in [[San Pedro, Los Angeles|San Pedro]] in 1915]]
[[File:Albacore total production thousand tonnes 1950-2022.svg|thumb|Global capture production of Albacore (''Thunnus alalunga'') in thousand tonnes from 1950 to 2022, as reported by the [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fisheries and Aquaculture - Global Production |url=https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/collection/global_production?lang=en |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)}}</ref>]]
Albacore is a prized food, and the albacore [[fishery]] is economically significant. Methods of fishing include [[Angling|pole and line]], [[long-line fishing]], [[Troll (angling)|trolling]], and some [[Encircling net|purse seining]].

The harvest of albacore tuna for commercial use began at the start of the 20th century. The migratory patterns of the fish brought droves of albacore schools near the coastline of southern California, which sparked the start of commercial albacore fishing. In 1903, 700 cases of albacore were used as an experimental pack which ultimately led to the development of the U.S. tuna-canning industry. The experiment was a huge success, and the commercial fishery expanded rapidly due to the high level of demand for canned tuna. By the 1920s, the industry expanded further and three other species of tuna—bluefin, yellowfin, and skipjack—were also being canned. Albacore tuna is the only species that can be marketed as "white meat tuna". The canning industry uses this label to differentiate canned albacore from other types of tuna.<ref>{{cite web |last=von Borks |first=Manfred |title=Pacific Juvenile Albacore in the Ensenada/San Diego Area History, Biology, Lures, Tactics and Night Fishing |edition=Rev 6 Final |date=June 2011 |url=http://www.albacoretuna.org/|access-date=2013-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029195026/http://www.albacoretuna.org/ |archive-date=2013-10-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

From 2010 to 2013, a study by [[Oceana (non-profit group)|Oceana]], an ocean preservation organization, tested over 114 samples of tuna, and found that 84% of the white tuna samples were actually [[escolar]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://oceana.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/National_Seafood_Fraud_Testing_Results_FINAL.pdf|title=National Seafood Fraud Testing Results Highlights|date=2013-02-21|work=Oceana Report|access-date=13 Feb 2022}}</ref>

Many [[Pacific Islands|Pacific island]] countries and territories (PICTs) heavily rely on oceanic fisheries for economic development and food security. The albacore is one of the main four species of tuna that support oceanic fisheries along with the skipjack, yellowfin, and the bigeye tunas. Domestic tuna fleets and local fish processing operations contribute from 3–20% of the gross domestic product in four PICTs. License fees from foreign ships provide an average of 3–40% of government revenue for seven different PICTs. Processing facilities and tuna fishing vessels provide more than 12,000 jobs for workers in the Pacific islands. Fish provide 50–90% of dietary animal protein in rural areas of PICTs.<ref name=bell>{{cite journal |last1=Bell |first1=J. D. |last2=Reid |first2=C. |last3=Batty |first3=M. J. |last4=Lehodey |first4=P. |last5=Rodwell |first5=L. |last6=Hobday |first6=A. J. |last7=Johnson |first7=J. E. |last8=Demmke |first8=A. |doi=10.1007/s10584-012-0606-2 |title=Effects of climate change on oceanic fisheries in the tropical Pacific: Implications for economic development and food security |journal=Climatic Change |volume=119 |pages=199–212 |year=2012 |s2cid=153708679 }}</ref>

===Recreational fishery===
Albacore are sought after by [[Sport fishing|sport fishers]]. Since 2000, a large recreational fishery for albacore has been established in Oregon, Washington and California.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dfw.state.or.us/mrp/sportalbacore/index.asp|title=Recreational Albacore|date=11 February 2019|website=Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife|language=en-us|access-date=22 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcouncil.org/highly-migratory-species/stock-assessment-and-fishery-evaluation-safe-documents/current-hms-safe-document/rec-fisheries-hms/|title=Current HMS SAFE Report: Recreational Fisheries Descriptions|date=18 January 2017|website=Pacific Fishery Management Council|language=en-us|access-date=22 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722203253/https://www.pcouncil.org/highly-migratory-species/stock-assessment-and-fishery-evaluation-safe-documents/current-hms-safe-document/rec-fisheries-hms/|archive-date=22 July 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> The fisheries in Oregon and Washington are supported by seasonal warm water influxes from the [[California Current]] with the season lasting from mid-July until October.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sheely |first1=Terry W. |title=Albacore Tuna Fishing |url=https://www.saltwatersportsman.com/story/howto/albacore-tuna-fishing/ |website=www.saltwatersportsman.com |date=21 August 2020 |publisher=Saltwater Sportsman |access-date=8 December 2020}}</ref>

===Conservation===
====Fisheries management====
[[File:Dan Panshin and Bob Jacobson talk to an albacore tuna fisherman, 1965 (5857916261).jpg|thumb|[[Hatfield Marine Science Center]] researchers talk to an albacore fisherman in [[Newport, Oregon|Newport]]]]
Albacore are managed by four tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMO's): the [[Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission]] (WCPFC), the [[Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission]] (IATTC), the [[International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas]] (ICCAT), and the [[Indian Ocean Tuna Commission]] (IOTC).<ref name=allen>{{cite journal |last1=Allen |first1=Robin |title=International management of tuna fisheries Arrangements, challenges and a way forward |journal=536 Fao Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper |date=2010 |volume=536 |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/012/i1453e/i1453e00.pdf |access-date=March 3, 2015}}</ref> ICCAT has established catch quotas in the North and South Atlantic.

There are six globally managed stocks of albacore worldwide, one in the North Pacific, one in the South Pacific, another in the Indian Ocean, two for the North and South Atlantic, and one in the Mediterranean Sea.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-03 |title=Albacore |url=https://www.iss-foundation.org/tuna-stocks-and-management/tuna-fishing/tuna-species/albacore/ |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=International Seafood Sustainability Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref>

There is substantial uncertainty on current stock status, since different models and assumptions provide a wide range of estimates. However, most of them agreed on the view that spawning stock biomass decreased since the 1930s and started to recover since the mid-1990s. Most of the model formulations, as well as the base case, concluded that currently the stock is not undergoing [[overfishing]] but the spawning stock biomass is overfished.<ref name=iucn_old/><ref>{{cite web|title=EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ALB|url=https://www.iccat.int/Documents/SCRS/ExecSum/ALB_EN.pdf|website=www.iccat.int|publisher=The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas|access-date=March 5, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402102309/https://www.iccat.int/Documents/SCRS/ExecSum/ALB_EN.pdf|archive-date=April 2, 2015}}</ref> IOTC judges albacore in the Indian Ocean are not overfished, but maintaining or increasing effort in the core albacore fishing grounds is likely to result in further declines in albacore biomass.<ref>{{cite web|title=EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: ALBACORE|url=http://www.iotc.org/sites/default/files/documents/science/species_summaries/english/Albacore.pdf|website=www.iotc.org|publisher=Indian Ocean Tuna Commission|access-date=March 5, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402091335/http://www.iotc.org/sites/default/files/documents/science/species_summaries/english/Albacore.pdf|archive-date=April 2, 2015}}</ref> All of the tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations noted that there is uncertainty surrounding the life history and biology of tunas and tuna like species including age and growth, maturity, and natural mortality rates; uncertainty about the quality and completeness of available data; and uncertainty about recruitment.

The WCPFC has assessed the South Pacific Albacore are not overfished.<ref>{{cite web|title=STOCK ASSESSMENT OF ALBACORE TUNA IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN|url=http://www.wcpfc.int/system/files/SA-WP-04-Stock-Assessment-Albacore-Tuna-SPO-Rev-1.pdf|publisher=WCPFC|access-date=March 4, 2015|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402113709/http://www.wcpfc.int/system/files/SA-WP-04-Stock-Assessment-Albacore-Tuna-SPO-Rev-1.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the 2014 assessment, the Albacore Working Group of the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in North Pacific Ocean found estimates of total stock biomass (age 1 and older) show a long-term decline from the early 1970s to 1990 followed by a recovery through the 1990s and subsequent fluctuations without trend in the 2000s. The working group concludes that the stock is likely not in an overfished condition at present.<ref>{{cite web|title=STOCK ASSESSMENT OF ALBACORE TUNA IN THE NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN IN 2014|url=http://isc.ac.affrc.go.jp/pdf/ISC14pdf/Annex%2011-%20NPALB%20Stock%20Assessment%20Report_revsied%2029Aug14.pdf|website=isc.ac.affrc.go.jp/index.html|publisher=International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean|access-date=March 5, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402150439/http://isc.ac.affrc.go.jp/pdf/ISC14pdf/Annex%2011-%20NPALB%20Stock%20Assessment%20Report_revsied%2029Aug14.pdf|archive-date=April 2, 2015}}</ref>

South Pacific albacore stocks have recently (2007 to 2015) shown a 40% reduction in stock.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-30/alarming-population-crash-in-southern-albacore/6900728 |title=Alarming population crash in southern albacore tuna prompts catch rethink |access-date=2015-11-02 |website=ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)|date=2015-10-30 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-22/pacific-nations-agree-to-bring-tuna-fishery-under-their-control/5834354 |title=Pacific nations agree to historic tuna fishery pact to protect local industries |access-date=2015-11-02 |newspaper=ABC News|date=2014-10-22 }}</ref>

[[Population genomics|Population genomic]] research supports the distinction of separate North and South Pacific stocks, but results indicated that [[Introgression|interbreeding]] occurs between these populations and some potential migrants were genetically identified.<ref name="Vaux-2021" />

====Other organizations====
A number of programs have been developed to help consumers identify and support responsible and [[sustainable fisheries]]. Perhaps the most widely accepted of these programs is that of the [[Marine Stewardship Council]] (MSC). Several albacore fisheries have been certified as sustainable according to MSC standards, including the U.S. North and South Pacific albacore [http://www.fao.org/fishery/fishtech/30/en pole and line] and [http://www.fao.org/fishery/fishtech/1015/en troll/jig] fisheries ("pole and troll"), Canadian North Pacific troll fishery, and the New Zealand South Pacific troll fishery.<ref name=MSC>{{cite web|author=Marine Stewardship Council|title=List of all certified fisheries|url=http://www.msc.org/track-a-fishery/certified/all-certified-fisheries|publisher=MSC.org|access-date=15 February 2012}}</ref>

[[SeaChoice]] ranks albacore as a "best choice" for consumers, although notes some "moderate concerns" regarding the management effectiveness (in particular, no definitive assessment of the albacore stock of the [[Indian Ocean]] fishery has taken place), and "moderate concern" over the fishing stock, especially regarding the North Atlantic albacore population, which the [[National Marine Fisheries Service]] (NMFS) considers overfished with [[overfishing]] still occurring. In 2007, SeaChoice considered the southern Atlantic stock to be overfished but not currently experiencing overfishing. They regarded North Pacific albacore stocks as not overfished and not likely to be experiencing overfishing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seachoice.org/profile/70/view|title=Tuna: Albacore|work=[[SeaChoice]]|access-date=2007-02-21|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070912080740/http://www.seachoice.org/profile/70/view|archive-date=2007-09-12}}</ref>

===Mercury levels===
[[File:Bonito del Norte.jpg|thumb|Albacore fished by rod and reel in the Cantabric Sea, Spain]]
{{Main|Mercury poisoning}}
{{See also|Mercury in fish}}
Like other fish, albacore accumulate [[methylmercury]] in body tissue over time. Methylmercury is removed from the human body naturally, but it may take over a year for the levels to drop significantly. Thus, it may remain in a woman from before she becomes pregnant. Ranging from as low as 0.027&nbsp;ppm (parts per million) to 0.26&nbsp;ppm, the average total mercury content of albacore is 0.14 ± 0.05&nbsp;ppm. Larger fish tend to [[bioaccumulation|bioaccumulate]] higher methylmercury levels. For the most part, there is positive correlation between an albacore's methylmercury measurement and its weight and length.<ref name="Morrissey 2008 41–52">{{cite journal |last1=Morrissey |first1=Michael T. |last2=Rasmussen |first2=Rosalee |last3=Okada |first3=Tomoko |title=Mercury Content in Pacific Troll-Caught Albacore Tuna ( Thunnus alalunga ) |journal=Journal of Aquatic Food Product Technology |date=5 April 2005 |volume=13 |issue=4 |pages=41–52 |doi=10.1300/J030v13n04_04 |bibcode=2005JAFPT..13d..41M |citeseerx=10.1.1.578.9827 |s2cid=45982962 }}</ref> Albacore caught by the American albacore fishing fleet off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California have far lower mercury levels than in previous years.{{when|date=May 2019}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/docs/OSU_Mercury_Study.pdf|title=NOAA - FishWatch|work=noaa.gov}}</ref> Albacore caught in this region also show methylmercury levels well below the 1.0 ppm mercury standard set by The [[U.S. Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA).<ref name="Morrissey 2008 41–52"/> Nevertheless, since mercury does take time to be removed from the body, albacore tuna should be eaten in moderation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-03-20 |title=Mercury in tuna: Is canned tuna safe? {{!}} Environmental Defense Fund |url=https://www.edf.org/health/mercury-alert-canned-tuna-safe#:~:text=Canned%20white,%20or%20albacore%20(0.32,,%208-ounce%20portions). |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=www.edf.org |language=en}}</ref>

===Cuisine=== 
{{Main|List of tuna dishes}}
As with other tunas, albacore meat is a versatile ingredient that is used a wide variety of dishes.<ref>{{cite book | title=Pacific Fisherman | publisher=Miller Freeman Publications | issue=v. 60 | year=1962 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NiH0AAAAMAAJ | access-date=August 23, 2019 | page=31}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Lowry | first=D. | title=The Connoisseur's Guide to Sushi: Everything You Need to Know about Sushi Varieties and Accompaniments, Etiquette and Dining Tips, and More | publisher=Harvard Common Press | year=2005 | isbn=978-1-55832-307-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wIOcYVPYfkAC&pg=PP168 | access-date=August 23, 2019 | page=168}}</ref>

{{Gallery
|title=Albacore cuisine
|width=180
|align=center
|File:Albacore Fiji.jpg
 |{{center|Lightly cooked albacore [[Fish steak|steak]]}}
|File:La Petite Salad Niçoise (3384266478).jpg
 |{{center|Seared albacore in a [[salade niçoise]]}}
|File:Albacore tuna rice wrap (7000531264).jpg
 |{{center|Albacore in a rice wrap}}
|File:Canned and packaged tuna on supermarket shelves.jpg
 |{{center|Canned albacore on sale at a supermarket}}
|File:Cuisine_of_the_Basque_Country_-_Bonito_del_Norte_con_piperrada.jpg
 |{{center|Bonito del Norte con [[Piperade|piperrada]], a [[Basque_cuisine|Basque dish]] using albacore}}
}}

==Other species called albacore==
In some parts of the world, other species may be called "albacore":
* [[Blackfin tuna]] ''Thunnus atlanticus'' (albacore)
* [[Yellowfin tuna]] ''Thunnus albacares'' (albacore, autumn albacore, yellowfinned albacore)
* [[Yellowtail amberjack]] ''Seriola lalandi'' (albacore)
* [[Kawakawa (fish)|Kawakawa]] ''Euthynnus affinis'' (false albacore)
* [[Little tunny]] ''Euthynnus alletteratus'' (false albacore)

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|auto=1|wikt=albacore}}
* [http://www.MSC.org Marine Stewardship Council (international independent certification of sustainable fisheries)]
* [http://www.AmericanAlbacore.com American Albacore Fishing Association (MSC certified Pacific U.S. "pole & troll" albacore)]
* [http://PacificAlbacore.com Wild Pacific Albacore]
* [http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch NOAA Fishwatch]
* [http://afrf.org American Fishermens Research Foundation]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110718034839/http://wfoa-tuna.com/ Western Fishboat Owners Association]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110707103315/http://albatuna.com/ albatuna.com]
* [http://www.balashon.com/2006/11/albacore.html Etymology of "albacore"]
* [https://archive.today/20121204174445/http://www.oceana.org/mercury Communicating FDA advice on consumption of albacore tuna.]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060114062957/http://seafood.ucdavis.edu/pubs/albacorefishery.htm ''Albacore''] by R. Michael Laurs and Ronald C. Dotson, 1992
* {{cite web |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/albacore-tuna |title=Albacore Tuna - Species |publisher=WWF}}

{{Tuna|state=expanded}}
{{Commercial fish topics}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q239977}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Fish described in 1788]]
[[Category:Fish of the Dominican Republic]]
[[Category:Fish of the Caribbean]]
[[Category:Greek cuisine]]
[[Category:Commercial fish]]
[[Category:Thunnus]]
[[Category:Scombridae]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre]]